Zerona

There’s nothing like the feeling of loving your body,” said Claude Charron. “It’s the greatest motivator to keep it that way.”

He should know. Since January 2011, the co-founder and vice-president of Zerona Quebec has been offering thousands of Quebecers a chance to literally and safely reshape their bodies and lives, with a novel body sculpting treatment that has taken the world by storm.

Zerona laser treatments — made famous on such television programs as The Doctors and the Dr. Oz Show, and by celebrities and athletes — have come to Quebec.

A low-level cold laser, the technology works by targeting fat cells and causing them to open their pores, releasing the fat stored within them which is then flushed from the body through the lymphatic system.

Treatments last 40 minutes and people see rapid and dramatic changes in their body long before finishing the typical nine treatments. In fact, most lose at least three inches from their waist, hips and thighs — some much more — and the systemic effect causes fat cells to shrink in other parts of the body as well.

Sessions are every second day because fat returns to cells after 48 to 72 hours, Charron said. “But the duration of the series of treatments, which is different for each client, gives the body time to get rid of the fat.”

No diet or strenuous exercise is involved. “None, absolutely not. All we ask is that you move. Walk a bit, stand on a vibrating plate, hop on a mini-trampoline — anything to mildly move is enough. We do ask that you limit your caffeine, alcohol and fat intake during the treatment, and drink enough water.”

Patients can resume normal activities immediately, as there is no pain, preparation, side effects or downtime. The cold laser works at a mere 17.5 milliwatts of energy — a fraction of the power of a regular light bulb, Charron said. “It’s like shining a flashlight on your skin. You can’t feel it, but it’s exactly what you need to empty fat cells.”

Used by doctors for 40 years to reduce inflammation and pain, Zerona technology was adopted by plastic surgeons to accompany liposuction, and outperformed that invasive, painful and expensive procedure. Unlike Zerona, liposuction involves actual surgery with swelling and pain that results from the invasive nature of the incision and vigorous vacuuming of body fat. Zerona, however, only causes the fat to leak from the fat cells and be processed by the body. Liposuction sucks the fat out of the body with an instrument, “but the body reacts by creating new cells,” said Charron, who has seen clients “show up with odd lumps where the body has chosen to store new fat.”

Zerona tested its mettle in 2010 and was awarded U.S. FDA market clearance based on Level 1 clinical trial, the most stringent testing standards involving random double-blind, multi-site and placebo-controlled studies like those conducted by the pharmaceutical industry. Patients lost an average of 3.65 inches from their waists, hips and thighs with six treatments over a two-week period. “The FDA said it would be effective if users lost three inches. Most lost more, some a lot more.”

Also licensed by Health Canada, one study even shows that by draining the fat, Zerona helps reduce appetite — and Zerona is the only system guaranteed to work or your money back. “You’ll be amazed at the results,” Charron said. “Before I invested in it, I tried it myself along with everyone I knew. It worked incredibly on everybody!”

More than 15,000 treatments have been performed in Quebec over the last year, where Zerona has just entered the market. With 14 clinics in and around Montreal, including downtown, Westmount, Blainville, Brossard and Rosemere, there is a location close to you. To meet the growing demand, Zerona is also coming to Laval on Nov. 1.

With packages of multiple sessions starting at $1,495, the price of a single Zerona treatment can be about the cost of a quality massage or a nice dinner for two. It’s the perfect method of jump-starting the new you, when you’ve had enough of yo-yo dieting, wasted gym memberships and a dearth of motivation.

In truth, Zerona doesn’t really carve out a beautiful you; it just releases you from the nagging fat that has for too long covered your best silhouette. “Once you love your body, it’s the greatest motivator. You see more than early results; you see immediate results,” Charron said.